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8G Nano Aquascape - The Oasis

17K views 61 replies 29 participants last post by  Fishybitty 
#1 ·
Hey guys, this was my first time putting together a planted tank and it was a heck of a lot of fun...but I think it gave me full fledged multi-tank syndrome. :razz:

Tank: Fluval Ebi/Flora
Substrate: Fluval Stratum / Petco Sand
Hardscape: Found driftwood / rocks
Filtration: modified Magnum 350 canister - recirculation gate / valved
Other Tek: 2x 13W 6500K CFL (~3 W/G), Nano CO2 diffuser

Flora: Anubias / Crypt / Micro Sword / Windelow Fern / Wisteria / random betta bulb (water onion?)

Oct: 15




Some of the micro-sword uprooted in the first week or so.

Here's the tank now Oct 31: (Amonia-0ppm, Nitrite-0ppm, Nitrate-20ppm)









 
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#6 ·
Thanks for the kind words, this is my first planted tank but definitely not my last. Way too much fun.

kfryman - The wood came right out of a pond near my home. Chopped it up to fit and boiled the whole of it for a few hours.

LittleBettaFish - They are the stock fluval lights. Each is 13 watts. A single light could support low-tech plants like anubias / anacharnis / crypts / mosses. To grow the fancy stuff you definitely want 2.

tromboneplaya - You can! Just make sure you have the right equipment (enough light, specialty substrate) and then the right balance of food for the plants (Carbon / NPK).

I'll post some more updates in a week or two once the tank has filled in some more ;-)
 
#9 ·
A 12 gallon MrAqua tank would be brilliant to scape in. I've got the Do!aqua 60 and 45cm tanks and they offer a lot of scaping opportunities. Always wanted to do a wabi kusa style set-up in one.

Just curious, what kind of CO2 are you running on this? I didn't even notice you had any until I saw the drop checker.
 
#10 ·
Those Do!aqua's are beautiful tanks. Also, I was just looking at wabi kusa styled tanks and fantasizing about creating one as well. When I was a kid I had so many sticks in jars with moss and bugs...I didn't know we could still do this as adults until recently - and it's so much more awesome.
 
#11 ·
The good thin about Mr Aqua tans is they are rimless, pretty good quality, and cheaper than other rimless tanks. They might not be as much quality, but they are still good. I plan on getting this bad boy http://www.marinedepot.com/Mr._Aqua...ular_Aquariums-Mr._Aqua-AZ1119-FIAQRA-vi.html I like it because I get more room to play with depth, the only hard part is finding a light and a stand. I may build my own stand and may build my own LED fixture. Not sure but I have access to a par meter so I can get exactly the PAR I need for about 55 PAR which would be in the medium light range.

Nice to have places to get wood. The plant club I am in (SFBAAPS) a guy that I would guess was in it and drove all the way from Reno to the Bay Area brought tons of manzanita, best part, it was free! I got some great pieces.
 
#14 ·
Are you planning on replacing the CO2 system entirely? I know that it is super expensive to just keep buying those cartridges, I believe it would actually cost tons of money over time, probably better off getting a cheapish paintbal setup.
 
#15 ·
Those tiny CO2 canisters came with the tank, figured I might as well use them up; but you're absolutely right - it's not sustainable. The next step is to upgrade to a ~5lb tank + regulator with a solenoid http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=9895 then I'll just run the tank on the lighting schedule and have it shut off at night.

Hoing to do it all used below 70.
 
#16 ·
Yeah, I guess you might as well use it. I would have gone for paintball, but I guess 5lb may be easier. I am having a dual stage regulator built by a local enthusiast for free. He gt me a great deal on the DSR as well. Just will be like a year till I can actually use it...
 
#20 ·
Your tank looks AMAZING!!! I want mine just like that! I am going to buy supplies for my first NPT next weekend!! I'm so excited. Do you have any tips? How do you keep the water so clear? Where did you buy all your supplies? Filter or no Filter?

Sorry for all the questions, I'm so scared of screwing up! :(
 
#21 ·
He runs what we would call a high tech set up. it is very different in concept from the popular low tech npt on this forum. The water looks clea due to the bright lighting. actuall all water in good established clean tanks should look be clear.

I recommend starting with a low tech before you throw yourself into high tech tanks :) especially if you are just starting off. and really, it's not hard to transform a low tech into a hightech tank later on ^____^
 
#24 ·
That is crazy Aokashi, because if you truely have high light with no co2 things can get severely out of wack. Good thing it is going good for you.

I found it that high tech usually you should have the tech part. I have a hair algae farm, but I don't want to put amanos in yet because I'm unsure they will be eaten. Gotta get some ghost shrimp.
 
#25 · (Edited)
Well... I realized that things dont always go by the book. I read about it everywhere, gave a weak attempt at CO2 and gave up due to the hassle....

but strangely there's not a spot of algae in the tanks or on the plants (a bit on the tank walls which I can only see with a magnifying glass)

and I'm pretty sure having a 6500k 23w CFL over a 2.5 gallon at zero distance is considered high light :p I think it's mostly due to the amount of plants i stuff in that tank that I havent been overrun by algae yet.

I also dose flourish every second day >.>

the other tank by the window is subjected to natural light, which is weaker, but there is a significant amount of spot algae growing in the wall closest tothe window. no other algae inside the tank however.

The only other algae I have only grows on the HOB, under high current and grows in a film. I love the stuff and use it to feed my scuds and seed shrimps.

Amanos work great for hair algae. but do make sure that you arent feeding them anything else, or they will ignore the algae and go for the better foods.

I need to start giving away some of my H formosas. I currently have 5 adults and 3 fry in the windowside 2 gallon, and two more in the poland spring DIY breeder bottle in Kuro's tank.

And I cant bring myself to feed them to Kuro...
 
#26 ·
The trick with any NPT is to not skimp on the P. The more plants you start with the more natural filtration you'll have for Amonia and Nitrates. It might cost you $50 in plants up front but it's completely worth it. My tank has quite a large filter filled mostly with biological media. Once the tank is fully established and the plants are growing strong I'll likely swap this out for a very small corner filter mostly for water circulation.

Aokashi is right on all points, this is a high tech setup where the plants are given every conceivable advantage.

If you're interested in low tech aquariums, I suggest reading up on the Walstad method. It's a highly detailed methodology of balanced aquatic setups focusing on soil microbiology and flora / fauna balance. Really cool stuff.

http://www.theaquariumwiki.com/Walstad_method
 
#28 ·
Haha, I know all about lowtech and the Walstad Method, I have one of my tanks using her method. I like the ability to grow plants super fast, but with higher light it starts to exhaust it self much faster. I wanna try ADA Aquasoil for the tank I am planning, seems like it is really good and grows plants well.

Unless the CO2 is in a painball tank or higher, it is so much more of a hassle, plus DIY isn't that effective, it doesn't add enough CO2.
 
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